Dentures may be the least expensive way of replacing a full set of teeth, but is it the BEST option? The most COMFORTABLE option? Sure, they LOOK great, but can you CHEW well with them? The answer to these questions is, “No”.
There are several reasons you should consider getting dental implants to help stabilize your dentures, whether it’s (A) just two implants with a set of teeth that snaps on and is removeable (for cleaning), or (B) more implants and teeth that are “fixed” (screwed in), dental implants are a game changer in the world of denture wearing. Here are just a few of those reasons:
Dentures Don’t Feel Like Real Teeth
They may LOOK like real teeth to other people, but they sure don’t FEEL natural for the person wearing them! Because of their size and the fact that they are made of acrylic, they just don’t FEEL natural. You’re constantly aware of them and always being careful not to move your jaw or mouth in ways that’ll possibly dislodge them. They take some getting used to, and limit the foods you can eat.
You Have To Take Them Out To Clean Them
Regular removal of dentures for daily cleaning is embarrassing. Not to mention that food easily gets wedged underneath. You need to take them out after every meal, even if just to rinse them to keep them from being uncomfortable from food debris getting lodged under them.
With dental implants, you care for them the same way you care for natural teeth. You brush and floss them, and perhaps even use a Water-Pik. You almost forget they’re false teeth. Because they are anchored in, they feel and function just like natural teeth.
Dentures Don’t Maintain Your Jawbone
When a tooth is lost, your jawbone slowly shrinks away, getting thinner and shorter over time, until it’s just a pencil sized little ridge of bone. This makes denture wear extremely difficult. Dental implants, on the other hand, stimulate the bone and keep it alive, preventing jawbone deterioration.
The Fit Keeps Getting Looser As A Result of The Bone Loss
Dentures become loose for different reasons; the most common of which is bone resorption, which is the process where your gums begin to shrink because they are no longer being used to hold your teeth in place. Everyday wear and tear is another reason your dentures can become loose. Loose dentures are NOT fun to wear!
They Sometimes Fall Out/Fall Down/Slip
One of the biggest fears denture wearers have, is the fear of their teeth slipping, or falling while they’re talking, eating, laughing, etc. Adhesives do help some, but only some. You have to be so careful all the time, and it takes a constant effort to NOT have that happen.
Another constant reminder that they’re false teeth. With dental implants securing your dentures, you don’t have to think about it. They’re IN!
You Have To Take Them Out At Night
Many denture-wearers insist on sleeping with them, (TYPICALLY so their partners don’t see them without teeth), but leaving your dentures in overnight can lead to a build-up of bacteria, resulting in bad breath, or worse. Your dentures may feel comfortable, but there is no better time for resting your mouth than when you’re asleep. Also, taking your dentures out each night allows your soft tissues to breathe and gives them a “bacteria-break,” which will keep them significantly healthier.
You Can’t Eat Certain Foods
Dentures reduce your chewing efficiency by at least 50%.
Some foods are difficult to eat with dentures, and others are impossible. This is a big source of frustration for denture wearers. Foods like steak, corn on the cob, apples, nuts, popcorn, sticky candy, peanut butter, foods with small pieces… (the list goes on), are a problem!
And for coffee lovers, although you are ABLE to drink coffee, because dentures are made of acrylic and therefor stain very easily, they will take a diligent effort to keep sparkly-white if you indulge in coffee on a regular basis.
Many of the events in our lives include food. Holidays, parties, family gatherings… and being limited on what you CAN and CANNOT eat, can take away from some of the joys of sharing our favorite foods.
You Can’t Taste As Well
As you’ve noticed it can affect the way you taste the food. In addition to the simple fact that our taste-buds grow weaker over time, dentures can also affect your taste. Because your upper denture covers your upper hard palate (which contains taste buds), some loss in flavor can result.
They Can Cause Sore Spots/Tender Gums
Oftentimes, denture-wearers experience sore spots, under the dentures. Areas that become inflamed and tender. Sometimes, this is from improper cleaning, or from getting a piece of food stuck underneath and putting pressure on one spot, resulting in irritation. When this happens, it’s important to remove them for a little while and let the gums recover from the trauma and then put them back in once they feel normal again. This is a problem for most people. They don’t want to go without their teeth for a few hours, or several at a time for that matter. They’re busy living their lives! So, they leave them in… and it gets worse.
If this happens, taking them out at night helps a lot of patients with this.
Facial Collapse
Another issue denture-wearers suffer from is facial collapse. When your teeth are removed, your body redistributes the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere. It’s an efficient use of your body’s resources, but eventually, your jawbone shrinks. This leads to you having a much more aged appearance. Over time, the more it shrinks, your dentures will no longer have anything to help hold them in place, essentially making you a denture cripple. Dental implants prevent all of that.
People With Gag Reflexes Cannot Wear Them
A gag reflex is a normal, healthy response. But in some people, the gag reflex may be oversensitive. In these cases, it may cause problems when a person is brushing their teeth, or visiting the dentist. About 10-15% of people suffer from this.
When gagging is a problem encountered during dental treatment, it can make dental procedures distressing for the patient and often difficult or even impossible to perform for the dentist. Patients who have a tendency to gag easily, often find wearing dentures difficult, and some find them impossible.
Although gagging is most common in upper dentures, it can also occur in patients with lower dentures. This is often a motivating factor for people facing this roadblock to conventional denture wear. Dental implants solve this problem by (A) there not being a palate on the upper arch, and by (B) the teeth not needing to be taken in and out, activating that reaction.
You Have To Replace Them From Time To Time
As years go by, with conventional dentures, your jawbone slowly deteriorates and shrinks away, causing the dentures become loose. And depending on hard you are on them, they may require unexpected emergency repairs from chipping or breaking. In time, they can become thin and more likely to break. Some patients have to get replacement dentures 5-6 years after they first start wearing them, and some can last up to 10-15 years, but eventually you’ll need new ones, so the whole point of them being the least expensive solution to replace all of your teeth, is really only valid at the onset. Not over a lifetime of wear.
You Don’t Have To Settle For This
If you have dentures and are tired of these things, come talk to us about dental implants. We’ll find a solution to make you more comfortable, and you can enjoy the stability that dental implants bring to your oral health.
